African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected a Federal High Court judgment sacking its David Mark-led leadership and invalidating Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate.
The party described the judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, as an attempt to cripple the opposition and deny Nigerians the right to freely choose their leaders.
A statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, on Thursday in Abuja picked holes in the timing of the judgment, barely 24 hours after its presidential campaign rally in Sokoto.
Abdullahi said the party alleged that the judgment had long been prepared but was hurriedly delivered following the massive turnout at the Sokoto rally.
He said Nigerians had demonstrated overwhelming support for the ADC and its promise to make life affordable, only to be confronted with a judgment threatening the party and its candidates.
The party expressed concern that the judgment could affect thousands of its candidates contesting elections at local, state, and federal levels.
He maintained that the matter extended beyond Atiku and Mark, insisting that it concerned the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders.
Abdullahi described the judgment as legally indefensible, saying that ADC would challenge it through every available judicial process.
He recalled an earlier judgment delivered by Justice Musa Liman of the same court on July 2, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.
He said the judgment affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the leadership.
According to Abdullahi, a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review, vary, or nullify a subsisting judgment of another court of equal jurisdiction.
He said the party was waiting for the certified true copy of the latest judgment to ascertain its precise terms, scope and consequential orders.
It alleged that the development reflected a pattern of using judicial processes to weaken opposition parties whenever they gained political momentum.
He also called on the judiciary not to allow itself to be used, insisting that Nigeria belonged to its citizens and not any political party.
He urged ADC members nationwide to remain calm and law-abiding while pursuing all available legal avenues to address the situation.
